Searching based on messages

Abstract

While interacting with a messaging interface, keywords or other search criteria are automatically identified and used to perform a search. Search results and sponsored links (or advertisements) are displayed to the user within the messaging interface. To alleviate privacy concerns, this process will not be performed unless the user has explicitly opted-in to the search feature. In another embodiment, the user can highlight keywords in an outbound or inbound message to trigger a search without leaving the messaging interface. In another embodiment, the user can input a search keyword or phrase to trigger a search without leaving the messaging interface.

1. A machine implemented method for providing search capability, comprising:
 providing a messaging user interface, said messaging user interface provides interaction with messages, said messaging user interface including a review pane and a search pane separate from the review pane, the search pane can be opened and closed; 
 providing a user with an option to consent to automatic searching while using said messaging user interface, said automatic searching is based on search criteria determined from one or more messages currently presented in the review pane; 
 presenting a first message of the messages in the review pane; 
 determining whether said search pane is open while said first message is being presented and whether said user has consented to said automatic searching; 
 automatically determining search criteria based on said first message while said first message is being presented in said review pane if said search pane is open and if said user consents to automatic searching, said automatically determining search criteria is performed without said user submitting a request that specifies search criteria; 
 causing a search based on said search criteria if, and only if, said search pane is open and said user has consented to automatic searching; and 
 providing results from said search in said search pane while presenting said first message in said review pane if, and only if, said search pane is open and said user has consented to automatic searching. 
 
   
   
     2. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first message is a message received by said user. 
 
   
   
     3. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 causing advertisements to be identified that are relevant to said search criteria if said user consents to automatic searching; and 
 providing said advertisement in said messaging user interface if said user consents to automatic searching. 
 
   
   
     4. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said automatically determining search criteria includes taking into account demographics of said user to identify said search criteria. 
 
   
   
     5. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether said message is unsafe mail, said automatically determining search criteria is performed if said message is not unsafe mail. 
 
   
   
     6. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether said message includes one or more forbidden topics, said automatically determining search criteria is performed if said message does not include a forbidden topic. 
 
   
   
     7. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said automatically determining search criteria includes determining search criteria based on all email messages in an inbox. 
 
   
   
     8. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said user is a person or a software process; 
 said first message is an email, an instant message, a chat stream or voice message; 
 said search criteria includes one or more keywords; and 
 said steps of providing a messaging user interface, providing a user with an option, automatically determining search criteria, causing a search based on said search criteria, and providing results are performed by a front door server remote from a client device operated by said user. 
 
   
   
     9. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said providing a user with an option to consent to said automatic searching while using said messaging user interface includes providing text that explains said automatic searching and providing an icon for said user to select to indicate that said user consents to said automatic searching while using said messaging user interface, and wherein said method further comprises receiving a selection of said icon from said user. 
   
   
     10. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said providing a user with an option to consent to automatic searching includes: 
 determining that said search pane is open while a message is being displayed in said messaging user interface; 
 determining that said user has not yet consented to said automatic searching; and 
 providing text explaining said automatic searching and asking said user if said user consents to said automatic searching whenever said search pane is open. 
 
   
   
     11. A method according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said providing a messaging user interface includes storing data for default searching; 
 said step of automatically determining search criteria attempts to find queries that meet a minimum relevance threshold; and 
 if said step of automatically determining search criteria cannot find queries that meet said minimum relevance threshold than said search criteria is identified based on said data for default searching. 
 
   
   
     12. A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a set of one or more keywords; 
 receiving a request to search within said messaging user interface; 
 causing a search to be performed within said messaging user interface based on said keywords in response to said request to search within said messaging user interface; and 
 automatically causing an internet search to be performed based on said keywords in response to said request to search within said messaging user interface. 
 
   
   
     13. A method according to  claim 1 , further including:
 determining that a search pane within said messaging user interface is open while a message to said user is being presented in said messaging user interface; and 
 determining that said user has previously provided explicit consent to said automatic searching whenever said search pane is open. 
 
   
   
     14. One or more processor readable storage devices storing processor readable code, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
 providing a messaging user interface, said messaging user interface allows messages to be composed and sent, said messaging user interface including a review pane for composing the messages and a search pane separate from the review pane; 
 presenting a first message of the messages in the review pane; 
 automatically determining multiple search criteria options based on said first message being presented in said review pane, said automatically determining multiple search criteria options is performed without a user submitting a request that specifies search criteria; 
 providing said user with a choice of said multiple search criteria options in said search pane messaging user interface; 
 receiving a selection from said user of one of said multiple search criteria options; 
 causing a search based on said selected one of said multiple search criteria options; and 
 providing results from said search in said search pane. 
 
   
   
     15. One or more processor readable storage devices according to  claim 14 , wherein:
 said automatically determining multiple search criteria options takes into account common words, sensitive language and past searching data. 
 
   
   
     16. One or more processor readable storage devices according to  claim 14 , wherein said multiple search criteria options are keywords. 
   
   
     17. The one or more processor readable storage devices according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 providing a user with an option to consent to automatic suggestions of keywords based on a message being presented in said messaging user interface, said automatically determining multiple search criteria options based on said first message being presented in said messaging user interface is performed only if said user provides said consent.